Robert H. Castellini: My Favorite Opening Day Memory

My favorite Opening Day memory was seeing Hank Aaron hit his 714th home run on April 4, 1974, to tie Babe Ruth’s all time home run record. The day was filled with great anticipation, and I was in the stands with co-workers and customers. An associate was sent up to the concession stands for drinks, and he came back to hear that Hank had hit the historic home run. He asked us never to tell his family he had missed the hit. We proceeded to tell his wife almost immediately after the game, and he has never lived it down!

On Nov. 2, 2005, the Cincinnati Reds announced that the controlling interest in the club would be acquired by a group of Cincinnatians led by Robert H. Castellini, Chairman of Castellini Company.

Other members of the group acquiring the controlling interest include Thomas L. Williams and W. Joseph Williams, Jr., President and Chairman, respectively, of Cincinnati based North American Properties.

The sale of the club was completed on Jan. 19, 2006, and Mr. Castellini assumed control of the Club as its Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Castellini has been involved in Major League Baseball for over 30 years. His involvement included a minor interest in the Cincinnati Reds as part of the Williams family ownership until that interest was sold in 1984. He became a partner in the Texas Rangers in 1989 and the Baltimore Orioles in 1993. From 1995 until 2006 Mr. Castellini was an investor in the St. Louis Cardinals. The interest in the Cardinals were sold as a condition of his acquisition of the Cincinnati Reds.

Mr. Castellini has been the Chairman of Castellini Group of Companies since 1992, following tenures as Executive Vice President from 1967–1970 and President from 1970–1992. The Castellini Company businesses include perishable distribution, food processing, public warehousing, transportation logistics and leasing.

In 1963 he graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in economics and after 2 years as an officer in the U.S. Army he received his MBA from Wharton Graduate School in 1967.

Mr. Castellini is very active in the Cincinnati community. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Xavier University as well as Chairman of Xavier’s Development Committee, member and Past President of the Cincinnati Business Committee, a member of the Commercial and Commonwealth Clubs of Cincinnati as well as past president of both clubs, member of the Chief Executives Organization, Young Presidents’ Organization/World Presidents’ Organization, and the Knights of Malta. He donates his time as a board member of the Cincinnati Center City Development Committee (3CDC), chairman of the Banks Working Group, President of the Cincinnati Equity Fund and New Markets Tax Credit, and a member of the Cincinnati Arts and Technology Center Steering Committee.

He has also been a member of the Boards of Directors for PNC Bank, Ohio; United States Playing Card Company, a member of Comair Airlines board of directors, Babson College Board of Trustees, and a member of the Denison University Board of Trustees, and President of the Queen City Club. Mr. Castellini has been Chairman of the Boards of Trustees for both Tri Health, Inc. and the Good Samaritan Hospital, a Board of Trustees member for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and Chairman of the Board for the Cincinnati Zoo.

Bob is married to Susie Castellini and they have four children. In November of 2010, they welcomed another grandchild for a total of 12 grandchildren.